Landscape runoff potential impact on reservoir limnology was indirectly evaluated by assessing
the effect of precipitation variation on several water quality parameters, on Anabaena
(Cyanophyta) and crustacean zooplankton abundances. The obtained results showed that total
phosphorus increased with strong precipitation events whereas water transparency presented an
opposite trend. Wet periods followed by long dry periods favored Anabaena dominance, which
induced an accentuated decreasing on all crustacean zooplankton species abundance. Therefore,
in a climate changing scenario these data are crucial to monitor and predict the effect of
landscape changes on aquatic ecosystem integrity and ultimately in water quality.